Protector for protecting paint brushes and paint rollers having paint thereon

ABSTRACT

A protector for protecting paint brushes and paint rollers having paint thereon comprises a main body made from a flexible material and having a hollow interior for receiving the head portion of a paint brush or the roller portion of a paint roller therein. A first opening permits a paint brush or paint roller to pass therethrough. A self-sealing plastic strip seals the first opening to preclude paint from escaping from the substantially hollow interior of the main body through the first opening. A second opening is disposed in opposed relation to the first opening, for permitting the handle of a paint brush or paint roller to be received therein. Tape is used to selectively seal the second opening when the handle of a paint brush or paint roller is received therein, to preclude paint from escaping from the substantially hollow interior of the main body through the second opening.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a protector for protecting paintbrushes and paint rollers having paint thereon, and more particularly toa such a protector that also covers a person's hand while holding thepaint brush or paint roller, during use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

After using a paint roller or paint brush, it is necessary to eitherclean the paint roller or paint brush, or discard it. It is very commonfor people, especially occasional painters, as opposed to professionalpainters, to clean paint rollers and paint brushes insufficiently afterthey have been used. Indeed, it is actually quite a time consuming andonerous task to thoroughly and properly clean a paint roller or paintbrush.

Further, during the use of a paint roller, and especially a paint brush,it is common for a person, especially an occasional painter, to havepaint run down the handle of the brush and onto the person's hand, whichis highly undesirable.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,903 issued Nov. 6, 1990 to Kettle et al, discloses aused paint brush preservation device comprising a sealed sachetcontaining a predetermined quantity of brush preserving liquid. Thesachet can be opened by cutting along one edge to permit the brush headto be inserted therein and immediately after use to prevent the brushfrom drying out. Preferably, the sachet is made from a deformable foilwhich can be wrapped around the brush handle to reseal the sachet.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a protector forprecluding paint brushes and paint rollers from drying out after use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a protector forprecluding paint brushes and paint rollers from drying out after use,wherein a supplemental object is not required to ready the protector foruse.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a protector forprecluding paint brushes and paint rollers from drying out after use,which protector also at least partially covers a person's hand whileholding the paint brush or paint roller, during use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there isdisclosed a novel protector for protecting paint brushes and paintrollers having paint thereon. The protector comprises a main body havinga substantially hollow interior for receiving the head portion of apaint brush or the roller member of a paint roller therein such that themain body surrounds the head portion of a paint brush or the rollermember of a paint roller. The main body is made from a flexible materialthat is substantially impervious to the passage of air, water, and oil.A first opening is provided in the main body for permitting a paintbrush or paint roller to pass therethrough. There is means forselectively sealing the first opening to thereby preclude a paint brushor paint roller from passing therethrough and to preclude paint fromescaping from the substantially hollow interior of the main body throughthe first opening. A second opening is provided in the main bodydisposed in opposed relation to the first opening, for permitting thehandle of a paint brush or paint roller to be received therein. There isalso means for selectively sealing the second opening when the handle ofa paint brush or paint roller is received therein, to thereby precludepaint from escaping from the substantially hollow interior of the mainbody through the second opening.

Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention,as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements ofthe structure, and the combination of parts and economies ofmanufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description and the appended claims with reference tothe accompanying drawings, the latter of which is briefly describedherein below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the paintroller and brush protector according to the present invention, as to itsstructure, organization, use and method of operation, together withfurther objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understoodfrom the following drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment ofthe invention will now be illustrated by way of example. It is expresslyunderstood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose ofillustration and description only, and are not intended as a definitionof the limits of the invention. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the protectoraccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the protector ofFIG. 1, taken along section line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the protector of FIG. 1, with a paint brushreceived therein;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 5, but with the protectorhaving been folded back over the handle of the paint brush;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the protector of FIG. 1, with a paintroller received therein; and

FIG. 8 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 5, but with the protectorhaving been folded back over the handle of the paint roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made to FIGS. 1 through 8, which show a firstpreferred embodiment of the protector for protecting paint brushes andpaint rollers having paint thereon, according to the present invention,as indicated by general reference numeral 20. The protector 20 comprisesa main body 30 that is substantially rectangular in shape, but may beany suitable shape. The main body 30 has a first end edge 31, a secondend edge 32, a left side edge 33, and a right side edge 34. Preferably,the main body 30 comprises a bag having first sheet 36 and a secondsheet 38 adjoined in parallel relation one to the other. The first sheet36 and the second sheet 38 are actually either two co-operating sheetsof material adjoined together along its second end edge 32, left sideedge 33, and right side edge 34, or a single sheet of material foldedonto itself at one of its edges, except its first end edge 31, andjoined together along its edges, except for its first end edge 31.

The main body 30 is made from a flexible material that is substantiallyimpervious to the passage of air, water, and oil, and typicallycomprises either a plastic material or a foil material. Any othersuitable material may also be used.

The main body 30 has a substantially hollow interior 39 for receivingthe head portion 42 of a paint brush 40 or the roller member 52 of apaint roller 50 therein such that the main body 30 surrounds the, headportion 42 of the paint brush 40 or the roller member 52 of the paintroller 50.

There is a first opening 60 disposed at the first end 31 of the mainbody 30 for permitting a paint brush 40 or paint roller 50 to passtherethrough. Preferably, the first opening 60 extends the entire lengthof the first end 31 of the main body 30. There is also means forselectively sealing the first opening, to thereby preclude a paint brushor paint roller from passing therethrough and to preclude paint fromescaping from the substantially hollow interior of the main body 30through the first opening 60. In the preferred embodiment, asillustrated, the means for selectively sealing the first openingcomprises a self-sealing plastic strip commonly known as a ZIP-LOC™, asindicated by the general reference numeral 70. The self-sealing plasticstrip comprises a male strip portion 72 mounted on the inner face 36a ofthe first sheet of material 36 and a female strip portion 74 mounted onthe inner face 38 a of the second sheet of material 38 in opposedrelation to the male strip portion 72.

A second opening 80 is disposed at the opposed second end 32 of the mainbody 30, in opposed relation to the first opening 60. The second opening80 is substantially smaller than the first opening 60, and is forpermitting the handle 44 of a paint brush 40 or handle 54 of a paintroller 50 to be received therein, as can be best seen in FIGS. 5 through8. There is also means for selectively sealing the second opening whenthe handle 44 of a paint brush 40 or the handle 54 of a paint roller isreceived therein, to thereby preclude paint from escaping from thesubstantially hollow interior 39 of the main body 30 through the secondopening 80. The means for selectively sealing the second openingcomprises a length of tape 90 having an adhesive on one face thereof,preferably a peel-and-stick type of tape. In other words, the adhesiveface 92 of the tape has a release paper 94 on it that is peeled off foruse.

In use, for protecting a paint brush 40, as can be best seen in FIGS. 5and 6, the self-sealing plastic strip 70 is opened and the paint brush40 is inserted through the first opening 60 and into the substantiallyhollow interior 39 of the main body 30 of the protector 20 such that thehandle 44 of the paint brush 40 is received in the second opening 80, ascan be best seen in FIG. 5. The release paper 94 is removed from thetape 90 and the tape 90 is adhered together and to the paint brush 44,so as to selectively seal the second opening 80, to thereby precludepaint from escaping from the substantially hollow interior 39 of themain body 30 through the second opening 80. The self-sealing plasticstrip 70 may be closed to seal off the first opening 60, if desired, tothereby preclude paint from escaping from the substantially hollowinterior 39 of the main body 30 through the first opening 60.

As can be best seen in FIG. 6, the during painting, the protector 20 isfolded back over itself so as to expose the head 42 of the paint brush40, and to cover the handle 44 of the paint brush 40. As such, aperson's hand would be covered while holding the paint brush 40 duringuse, and paint would not run onto a person's hand.

In use, for protecting a paint roller 50, as can be best seen in FIGS. 7and 8, the self-sealing plastic strip 70 is opened and the paint roller50 is inserted through the first opening 60 and into the substantiallyhollow interior 39 of the main body 30 of the protector 20 such that thehandle 54 of the paint roller 50 is received in the second opening 80,as can be best seen in FIG. 7. The release paper 94 is removed from thetape 90 and the tape 90 is adhered together and to the paint roller 50,so as to selectively seal the second opening 80, to thereby precludepaint from escaping from the substantially hollow interior 39 of themain body 30 through the second opening 80. The self-sealing plasticstrip 70 may be closed to seal off the first opening 60, if desired, tothereby preclude paint from escaping from the substantially hollowinterior 39 of the main body 30 through the first opening 60.

As can be best seen in FIG. 8, the during painting, the protector 20 isfolded back over itself so as to expose the roller member 52 of thepaint roller 50, and to cover the handle 54 of the paint roller 50. Assuch, a person's hand would be covered while holding the paint roller 50during use, and paint would not run onto a person's hand.

As can be understood from the above description and from theaccompanying drawings, the present invention provides a protector forprecluding paint brushes and paint rollers from drying out after use,wherein a supplemental object is not required to ready the protector foruse, and which protector also at least partially covers a person's handwhile holding the paint brush or paint roller, during use, all of whichfeatures are unknown in the prior art.

Other variations of the above principles will be apparent to those whoare knowledgeable in the field of the invention, and such variations areconsidered to be within the scope of the present invention. Further,other modifications and alterations may be used in the design andmanufacture of the protector of the present invention without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the accompanying claims.

1. A protector for protecting paint brushes and paint rollers havingpaint thereon, said protector comprising: a main body having asubstantially hollow interior for receiving the head portion of a paintbrush or the roller member of a paint roller therein such that said mainbody surrounds the head portion of a paint brush or the roller member ofa paint roller; wherein said main body is made from a flexible materialthat is substantially impervious to the passage of air, water, and oil;a first opening in said main body for permitting a paint brush or paintroller to pass therethrough; means for selectively sealing said firstopening to thereby preclude a paint brush or paint roller from passingtherethrough and to preclude paint from escaping from said substantiallyhollow interior of said main body through said first opening; a secondopening in said main body disposed in opposed relation to said firstopening, for permitting the handle of a paint brush or paint roller tobe received therein; and, means for selectively sealing said secondopening when the handle of a paint brush or paint roller is receivedtherein, to thereby preclude paint from escaping from said substantiallyhollow interior of said main body through said second opening.
 2. Theprotector for protecting paint brushes and paint rollers of claim 1,wherein said main body is substantially rectangular in shape.
 3. Theprotector for protecting paint brushes and paint rollers of claim 2,wherein said first opening is at a first end of the main body and saidsecond opening is at an opposed second end of said main body.
 4. Theprotector for protecting paint brushes and paint rollers of claim 3,wherein said means for selectively sealing said first opening comprisesa self-sealing plastic strip.
 5. The protector for protecting paintbrushes and paint rollers of claim 4, wherein said second opening issubstantially smaller than said first opening.
 6. The protector forprotecting paint brushes and paint rollers of claim 5, wherein saidmeans for selectively sealing said second opening comprises a length oftape having an adhesive on one face thereof.
 7. The protector forprotecting paint brushes and paint rollers of claim 1, wherein saidflexible material comprises a plastic material.
 8. The protector forprotecting paint brushes and paint rollers of claim 1, wherein saidflexible material comprises a foil material.